Black City/White Forest - how long did it take you to get there?

So it seems to be the consensus that the number of people in the forest/city is determined by how quickly you get there. I've seen a lot of people saying you need to get there within 10 days, but I've also seen people saying they got there in 12 or 14 and had a few people.

So: How many days did it take you to get to Black City/White Forest, and was it populated when you got there?

Edit: I just got - 11 days, and I have a handful of people there and some buildings. Haven't traded or connected with anyone, have done a couple of global battles.